Transcribed from the 1852 Burns and Lambert edition by DavidPrice,
A
CORRESPONDENCE
RELATIVE TO A LECTURE SOENTITLED,
RECENTLY DELIVERED BEFORE THE
ISLINGTON PROTESTANT INSTITUTE,
BY THE
REV. EDWARD HOARE, M.A.,
Incumbent of Christ Church, Ramsgate.
“Thus men go wrong with an ingeniousskill,
Bend the straight rule to their own crooked will,
And with a clear and shining lamp supplied,
First put it out, then take it for their guide.”Cowper’s Progress ofError.
LONDON:
BURNS AND LAMBERT, 17 PORTMAN STREET,
PORTMAN SQUARE.
1852.
p. 2W. Davy andSon, Printers, 8, Gilbert-street, Oxford-street.
In a Lecture on the Jesuits,recently delivered before the Islington Protestant Institute bythe Rev. Edward Hoare, M.A., Incumbentof Christ Church, Ramsgate, and since published, there occurs thefollowing passage with the note subjoined:—“It wouldnot be fair to attach to the Order the opinions of theindividual, unless these can be proved to be fully borne out andsanctioned by the fixed and authoritative documents of theSociety. Nothing, however, can be clearer, than that thesentiments then expressed, [i.e., alleged to have beenexpressed on an occasion before referred to], were those not ofthe man, but of the Order; for although there is an exceptiveclause inserted in one of the Constitutions, as if for the reliefof unseared consciences, so that the Statute runs thus,‘Conforming their will to what the Superior wills andthinks in all things, where it cannot be defined that any kind ofsin interferes;’ [3] yet a little furtheron there is another section wherein that clause is whollynullified, and the original principle boldly asserted. ‘Although the Society desires that all its Constitutions,&c., should be undeviatingly observed, according to theInstitute, it desires, nevertheless, that all its members shouldbe p. 4securedor at least assisted against falling into the snare of any sinwhich may originate from the force of any such Constitutions orinjunctions; therefore, it hath seemed good to us in the Lord,with the express exception of the vow of obedience to the Popefor the time being, and the other three fundamental vows ofpoverty, chastity, and obedience, to declare that noConstitutions, declarations, or rule of life, can lead to anobligation to sin, mortal or venial.’ Thus far all iswell; what more can be required? But now mark the nextpassage. ‘Unless the Superior may command them inthe name of our Lord Jesus Christ, or in virtue of the vowof obedience; and this he may do whenever, and towhomsoever, he may judge it conducive either to individualgood or to the universal well-being of the Society. Andin the place of the fear of offence, let the love and desire ofall perfection succeed; that the greater glory and praise ofChrist our Creator and Lord may follow.’ So that thepoor Jesuit may be compelled to commit what he knows to be amortal sin at the bidding of his Superior